Place · Plaza Independencia & Avenida 18 de Julio
Palacio Salvo
The 1928 tower on Plaza Independencia that once stood tallest in South America: look at it from the square, and take a guided tour only if you want the roof view; check tour times and prices before you plan around it.
- Landmark
- Guided tour
- Free from outside
- Works with kids
- Mostly indoors
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 8Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the fir…
- South America ↗Above 2,500 m (Bogotá, Quito, Cusco, La Paz) keep the first day light; sleep lower where you can (Sacred Valley before Cusco) and descend if headache comes with vomiting or confusion.
- South America ↗A yellow fever certificate is required on arrival in French Guiana, and asked for on some routes into Bolivia, Paraguay, Suriname and Guyana, or when arriving from Amazon areas — vaccinate at least 10 days before travel and carry the card.
- South America ↗Overnight buses are the norm in Argentina, Chile and Peru, but pick top-tier companies and keep valuables on your body; on-board thefts from overhead racks are the common loss.
- Uruguay ↗Check entry rules for your passport with Uruguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a Uruguayan consulate; ferry passengers from Buenos Aires clear both countries' immigration at the terminal.
- Uruguay ↗Buenos Aires–Colonia and Buenos Aires–Montevideo ferries sell out on long weekends and in summer: book ahead.
- Uruguay ↗Pay restaurants, hotels and car hire with a foreign-issued card: non-residents get the 22% VAT (IVA) removed on restaurants and car hire roughly 15 November – 30 April, and on lodging — check the current season's rules.
- Montevideo ↗After dark, use a taxi or ride-hail car between clusters and to your bed; the old town is quiet and poorly lit at night.
- Montevideo ↗Dinner starts after 21:00; book or plan an early snack, and do not count on kitchens at 19:00.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 09:00 or 17:00 · go morning or blue hour, from the square
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: free
- Time to spend
- 20–45 min · up to 90 min if you linger
Best time to go
Quiet on weekday mornings; tour groups midday.
By weekday: quietest Mon–Fri, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Note
- Guided tours run at set times; not published here until verified.
- Hours note
- Tour times vary; check.
Which month is quietest
- Janbusy
- Febbusy
- Marbusy
- Aprbusy
- Maylight
- Junlight
- Jullight
- Auglight
- Sepbusy
- Octbusy
- Novbusy
- Decheavy
Quietest May–Aug · busiest Dec.
Estimate: desk reasoning from season and holiday patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Plaza Independencia, on the Centro side
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- lift inside; steps at the entrance
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance · lift inside; steps at the entrance
- Check firstLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- PartialWheelchair
- YesStroller · ok
Sensory load
- Sensory load2/5 Low
- Peak crowd2/5 Low
Exposure: low
What to bring and the rules
- Footwear that suits the rule · On.
- A small bag · Small.
- Shoes: On.
- Small.
- Allowed outside.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- heat: Sit in a café at the foot of the tower
- rain: Take the guided tour indoors
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Plaza Independencia benches (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- Join tours only through the official desk.
- Keep bags closed in the crowd on the square.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- Built in 1928 to a design by the architect Mario Palanti; about 95 m tall.
- The building is used for homes and offices; visits are by guided tour (check schedule and price).
- The best free view is from the square at the tower's foot.
- Combine with Plaza Independencia and the Teatro Solís.
Best time of day
Go morning or blue hour, from the square. Plan 20–45 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for a weekday
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Guided tour: Official tour desk or site
- Exterior view: Plaza Independencia
- Queues
- Guided tour: Book the slot online if offered.
- Dress code
- Shoes: On.
- Bags & lockers
- Small.
- Photos
- Allowed outside.
- What's closed
- WeeklycheckTour days vary.
- Public holidayscheckCheck.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Where to buy | Skip-the-line reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guided tour | about UYU 400–800 (2026 estimate, check) | Official tour desk or site | Book the slot online if offered. |
| Exterior view | free | Plaza Independencia | Not applicable. |
How to do it well
- 1Look at the tower from the plaza gate.
- 2Check tour times at the desk or online.
- 3Take a tour if you want the inside; skip if you are short of time.
- 4Continue to the Teatro Solís on foot.
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
10min
Worthwhile
20min
Typical
45min
p95
90min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (45 min).
Nothing else in our notes is a short enough walk from here for the time that is left.
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Façade from the square
10 minLook up; the tower is best seen from the plaza.
Guided tour with the roof
45 minCheck whether the tower top is included.
extra ticket
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- quiet
- Worst while inside
- quiet
- Leave by
- 09:459:45 AM
- Closing buffer
- 435′
Good window: go.
- Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:00. Tour times vary; check.
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlylift inside; steps at the entrance
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: partly · partly
- Stroller: yes · yesok
Lift inside; a step at the door.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | check | Ask at the tour desk. |
| Seating | limited | Cafés on the plaza. |
| Card or IC payment | check | Ask at the desk. |
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture lovers | good | A landmark of the 1920s. |
| Photographers | good | Best from the plaza. |
| Wheelchair users | caution | Lift inside; steps at the door (check). |
Skip it if
- You are short of time: the square view is enough.
Rules on site
- food
- Not inside.
With kids
- with kids
- A short look outside suits kids.
- child price
- check
Combine with
Combine with
- 2 minPlaza Independencia — The square at its foot.
- 5 minFun Fun · eat — A historic bar for a drink.
- 6 minTeatro Solís
Walk the Plaza Independencia & Avenida 18 de Julio area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| Tower from the Plaza Independencia gate | Late afternoon | Do not block the walkway. |
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Can I go up the tower?
Only on a guided tour, if the roof is included; check.
How tall is it?
About 95 metres.
How long do I need?
Ten minutes outside; 45 minutes with a tour.
Is it free?
The exterior is; tours cost extra.
Photos
Deep dive
Sources
- officialPalacio Salvo
- secondaryWikivoyage — Montevideo
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.